A FESTIVAL OF SIGHTS

If lackluster surf film premieres have saddened you lately, The Moonshine Conspiracy has arrived to dry those tears. On October 9th, the second annual Moonshine Festival made its mark in the revival of surf culture. The Moonshine Conspiracy is a Ventura-based media group with headmen like Chris Malloy, Jack Johnson and Thomas Campbell. For almost a decade, they’ve brought such legendary surf flicks as Thicker than Water, September Sessions and Shelter, and they’ve made national and international influence with records by Jack Johnson and Donavon Frankenreiter. So what does a media group do when it has another epic film in its hands and a group of musicians, artists, and photographers whose work has inspired perspective and innovation in the surf world for years? They throw a two-day festival of visual and auditory ecstasy in order to raise money for numerous non-profit organizations.

With a line out the door and around the corner at Laguna’s Pageant of the Masters by 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, the Moonshine Festival collected its share of people spanning from around the world and many generations. Once inside, a maze of walls harnessed photos and artwork of an eclectic group of well-known and not-so-well-known names. This festival of sights had done just as its name had entailed, assembled an arena of creative talent. At times, one musician would be playing on the outdoor stage amidst the collections, while another sputtered of melodies on the main stage around the corner where the nights film premier and star musicians would grace their artistry later in the night. People lounged on the grass and listened to music, some shot Super 8 film for their own future premieres, and others got lost amidst the talent on the walls. So much intelligent artistic ability floating around in such a small area could make anybody feel uncreative.

All proceeds from the event were donated to four fundraising causes: the Fight to Walk Foundation, Tuberous Sclerosis {{{Alliance}}}, Surfing Heritage Foundation, and the Kokua Hawaii Foundation. Fight to Walk Foundation is a non-profit fundraiser to support Kevin Kroushinsky who recently began a battle against spinal-chord injury. The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance (www.tsalliance.org) is a national voluntary health organization dedicated to finding a cure for tuberous sclerosis complex. The Surfing Heritage Foundation (www.surfingheritage.com) is a foundation whose ongoing objective has been to identify and obtain significant historical boards, artifacts, and various other surf related objects in order to preserve the physical history of surfing for museums and generations to come. The Kokua Hawaii Foundation (www.kokuahawaiifoundation.com) is a non-profit organization that supports environmental, educational, and community programs that advocate sustainable living in Hawaii.

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